11
SPARK SCL
COUNSELING, AND STUDENT
JOY HIMMEL, PSY. D. DIRECTOR OF COUNSELING SERVICES
SERVICE 1
SERVICE 2
SERVICE 3
SERVICE 4
SERVICE 5
SERVICE 6
SERVICE 7
SERVICE 8
INDIVIDUAL
ZUBEYDE AKPIKIR, PH. D. PROFFESIONAL COUNSELOR
COUNSELING( BREIF MODEL)
CRISIS SERVICES
GROUP COUNSELING
ONLINE WELLNESS RESOURCES
OUTREACH PROGRAMMING
PSYCHIATRIC MEDICATION SERVICES
E-LEARNING MODULES
MODIFIED ADHD TESTING
Free for all Registered Students Confidential and Private Virtual and In-Person Appointments
Students’ academic persistence is strongly influenced by their well-being, resilience, and sense of belonging. By providing timely, accessible mental health care, the Office of Counseling Services( OCS) supports retention, engagement, and student success. According to the 2024 – 2025 Healthy Minds data, 44 % of college students meet criteria for at least one mental health condition, only 36 % report flourishing, and 52 % experience loneliness, with one in four reporting significant isolation. ODU 2020 – 2024 Exit Survey data show a strong link between mental health and retention, with 58 % of campusbased students who withdrew, citing stress or mental health concerns as a very important factor.
Consistent with these findings, 2024 OCS satisfaction data show that 84 % of students reported counseling helped them remain enrolled, 74 % said it supported their academic performance, and up to 91 % of group counseling participants reported increased connection. Collectively, these results position OCS as a critical protective factor that promotes persistence, belonging, and overall student success.
In 2024 – 2025, OCS served 1,067 students through 4,953 appointments, delivering comprehensive care including individual and group counseling, ADHD and psychiatric services, crisis response, digital wellness modules, and 24 / 7 peer support via TalkCampus.
Among first-year students who received services in 2024 – 2025, 82 % were retained into Fall 2025, exceeding the university’ s overall first-year retention rate of 79 %. Given that students who seek counseling often present with academic or personal challenges that may place them at greater risk for attrition, these outcomes highlight the meaningful impact of OCS services on student persistence and retention.
Launched in January 2025, TalkCampus expands access beyond traditional services by providing 24 / 7 peer support. Since launch, ODU students have connected with 656 peer supporters across 17 countries and accessed the platform 27,583 times.